Watch: The planned demolition of building went horribly wrong (and it could have been even worse)

It happened in front of horrified spectators.

What happens when a demolition doesn’t go as planned? In Vordingborg, Denmark, a 170-foot tower went tumbling down in the wrong direction, and damaged a local cultural centre in the bargain.

Scores of people watched aghast as the tower, which was to be brought down in a controlled manner, toppled in the opposite direction to the one intended, falling on a building with a library, a music school, and an archive.

Fortunately, there were no injuries. According to a Newsweekreport, volunteers were working all night in a bid to secure the location.

Investigators are trying to zero down on what exactly happened and what led to the sides being switched.

The person who was in charge of the explosion, Kenneth Wegge, wasn’t sure what happened. He told the Danish news network TV East, “I simply do not know how it may have gone so bad. I will put my head on the block. We have prepared half a year for this.”